On 5th June 2025, Qflow brought together voices from across the construction industry including fitout, contech, and sustainability consultancy to dive into one of the sector’s most critical challenges: data quality. As AI and large language models (LLMs) become increasingly embedded in our workflows, we need to get serious about the foundations we’re building on. That means sorting the signal from the noise when it comes to construction data. 

Jade Cohen (Co-founder and CPO of Qflow) was joined by Lorna Killick (BW), Brett King (Procore) and Dominic Lavelle (GoGreen Experts), who provided a diverse perspective on how data quality is managed across the supply chain, the impacts of where this goes wrong, and the opportunity when it’s done well.  

Instigated from the State of Data Quality report issued by Qflow earlier this year it follows some rather frightening statistics such as: 

• 91% of product and waste data required enrichment to become usable for analysis. 

•  95% of delivery documentation and 75% of waste transfer notes were incomplete, inconsistent, or inaccurate.  

• Only 34% of construction materials have enough data to accurately calculate their carbon emissions 

The good news? 95% of the issues linked to waste and delivery documentation can be resolved with better data management. That’s a huge opportunity just waiting to be unlocked. 

During the panel at Digital Construction Week, the conversation kicked off with real-world examples of the challenges construction teams face on site due to poor data quality. There’s been a recent push to capture more data during the construction phase, largely to support trend analysis and risk forecasting. But the conversation is starting to shift. Now, it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality. 

One of the biggest hurdles to using data effectively is trust. As Lorna Killick from BW put it, “If lost, it’s almost impossible to get back.” This lack of trust often stems from how the data is collected. Traditionally, teams have relied on the supply chain to input data manually—via forms, spreadsheets, and other error-prone methods. And while the intent is rarely the issue, the lack of strong processes to validate this data is. When dashboards start showing questionable results, confidence in the data behind them quickly crumbles. And when that happens, the promise of data-driven decision-making falls apart. 

It’s clear that data quality needs a clear owner within the business. That means a cultural shift, where managing data is treated with the same importance as the data itself. Different teams need different things from their data: IT wants security and structure; sustainability teams need accurate quantities for carbon reporting; health and safety teams rely on real-time visibility. These layered requirements make it essential to develop a joined-up data strategy that delivers trustworthy, accurate insights across the board. 

To achieve this, automating data capture is non-negotiable. Reducing human input helps eliminate errors and increases consistency. But people still have a role to play, particularly when it comes to validation and sense-checking. It’s about combining smart systems with smart people to ensure the data holds up. 

As AI continues to reshape how we design, build, and operate in the built environment, tackling the data quality challenge is no longer optional. The panel at Digital Construction Week brought this into sharp focus: the problems are real, but so are the solutions. With the right tools, clear processes, and a shift in mindset, we can turn data from a liability into one of our most valuable assets. Because without good data, even the smartest tech won’t take us very far. 

About Qflow: 

Qflow is a construction technology company on a mission to build a world where construction work leaves a positive legacy. Founded in 2018 by Brittany Harris, a civil engineer, and Jade Cohen, an environmental scientist, Qflow was born from firsthand experience of the inefficiencies and environmental impact that plague construction sites. 

Headquartered in London, Qflow empowers project teams with real-time data on materials, waste, utilities, and carbon, captured directly from site the moment it happens. By connecting what was planned with what arrives and is used on site, Qflow helps teams ensure quality, reduce risk, minimise waste, and avoid costly rework or delays. 

Qflow gives the construction industry the tools it needs to truly understand what’s going into the buildings we create — protecting the people who will use them, safeguarding the environment, and helping teams build better, faster, and more efficiently. 

Download our Data Quality Report here.